The reported decision by the WHO’s Americas branch comes as the US grapples with its highest measles caseload in more than three decades.
Key takeaways
The Americas branch of the World Health Organization reportedly stripped the US of its measles-free status due to sustained local transmission. This follows a surge in infections, with 7,500 cases and 13 deaths recorded since 2025.
- US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is linked to rising vaccine hesitancy and falling immunization rates.
- 5,182 confirmed measles cases were reported in 2026 across 45 states, New York City, and the District of Columbia.
- The US achieved measles-elimination status in 2000, which requires 95% population vaccination for herd immunity.
Summarised automatically by AI from the original article by Free Malaysia Today. AI can make mistakes, so check the original for details.
Some 7,500 people in the US have been infected with measles and 13 have died since 2025. (File pic)CHICAGO: The Pan American Health Organization (Paho) has revoked the US' measles-elimination status after 26 years, because the country did not halt continuous transmission of the highly contagious virus for more than a year, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
The international health body did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters for comment on the report, which cited people familiar with the matter.
The reported decision by the Americas branch of the World Health Organization (WHO) comes as the US battles the highest number of measles cases it has seen in more than three decades.
